The present invention relates to hosiery manufacturing machinery in general, and more particularly to arrangements for shaping hosiery articles, especially panty hose.
There are already known various constructions of hosiery shaping arrangements of the type here under consideration, among them such which include at least one elongated flat blade and two belt drives each of which is arranged at one of the longitudinal sides of the blade and which include respective driving belts that are guided within the contour of the blade, these belt drives being driven in such a manner that the driving belts thereof move in opposite directions and perform pulling-on and pulling-off operations on the hosiery articles.
Arrangements of this type are used for stretching and ironing unshaped hosiery articles, especially panty hose or other hose or stockings, and for shaping such articles over their entire lengths so as to be ready for packaging. To achieve this, a single shaping blade is needed for stockings and similar hose, while two shaping blades which are arranged one behind the other or offset with respect to each other are needed for panty hose.
An arrangement of this type is known, for example, from the German patent DE-PS 23 02 758. In this known arrangement, belt drives are arranged at both longitudinal sides of the shaping blades, these belt drives including respective belts which are driven in opposite directions and which are guided within the blade contour. Herein, the directions of movement of the belts of the two belt drives are so chosen that the outer runs of the belts move upwardly in a pulling-on position and downwardly in a pulling-off position of the blades. It is merely necessary for the operating personnel to pull the hose or the respective panty hose leg over the lower end of the associated blade. As soon as the upper edge portion of the hose or of the panty hose leg comes into contact with the upwardly moving outer run of the respective belt, there automatically follows the pulling-on of the hose or leg onto the associated blade. A light barrier which is adjustable to different hose or panty hose lengths then interrupts the upward movement of the belts.
After the pulling-on operation has been completed, the blades are pivoted about a horizontal axis located at the upper regions of the blades for entering a transporting and ironing arrangement which includes heated endless belts. Shaping and ejecting plates which are arranged on the blades are extended downwardly and thus shape the foot region or tip of the respective hose or panty hose leg. During the subsequent retraction of the shaping and ejecting plates, the rollers of the ironing belts are closed and thus fix the positions of the hose or panty hose leg tips. Then, the following pulling-off operation is assisted by the change in the direction of movement of the belts. After the pulling-off operation has been completed, the blades are pivoted back into their original positions and thus they are ready for the next following pulling-on operation.
Now, experience has shown that, for a better presentation of the hosiery article in its package, it is often desired to arrange insert sheets in one of the stockings or hose of the pair, or in one of the legs of the panty hose. This is particularly true when the hosiery articles are provided with patterns, since such patterns are properly displayed or become recognized through the package window only due to a contrast effect with the background presented by the insert sheet. Yet, the known hosiery shaping arrangements of the above-discussed type are not equipped for the insertion of such insert sheets.